TIL the McLaren F1 is so valuable now, that it is essentially impossible for one to be "written off" by an insurance company, since the repair costs will always be less than the value of the car. Furthermore, McLaren will fully repair a crashed F1, no matter how substantial the damage.
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/basically-impossible-to-total-a-mclaren-f1/
#til #todayilearned
TIL Raccoon dogs exist
https://youtu.be/uCtM0tm1uZ4?si=u2Rum6c5Y6-MDHdG
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gssi2n/til_raccoon_dogs_exist/
TIL, that Painless Parker was a street dentist that created the Parker Dental Circus, a traveling medicine show with his dental chair on a horse-drawn wagon while a band played. The band attracted large crowds and hid the moans and cries of patients who were given whiskey or a cocaine solution.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painless_Parker
#til #todayilearned
TIL that when F1 driver Pedro Rodriguez won the 1967 South African Grand Prix, becoming the first ever Mexican driver to win an F1 race, the organizers didn't have the Mexican anthem, and instead played the Mexican hat dance. After that, Rodriguez always traveled with a record of the anthem with him
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Rodr%C3%ADguez_(racing_driver)
#til #todayilearned
TIL that "cryptomnesia" is a psychological phenomenon where your brain "borrows" old memories and makes you think they’re brand-new ideas. It’s like accidentally plagiarizing your own brain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptomnesia
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gs5idl/til_that_cryptomnesia_is_a_psychological/
TIL that in 1965, Ford disassembled a Mustang and transported it in four parts to the top of the Empire State Building for publicity. The car was reassembled on the building’s observation deck, showcasing Ford’s knack for innovative marketing.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/1431-1965-ford-mustang-empire-state-building-stunt/
#til #todayilearned
TIL King John of England died of dysentery in 1216, only one year after signing the Magna Carta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_King_of_England
#til #todayilearned
TIL the word "partridge" probably comes from ancient Greek "pérdomai", a word meaning "to fart".
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1grgr6o/til_the_word_partridge_probably_comes_from/
TIL Alan Smithee directed 45 movies between 1968-2000, but was never a real person. He was made up as a pseudonym for directors to use if their movie was a flop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Smithee
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1grdfh1/til_alan_smithee_directed_45_movies_between/
TIL that the United States has 44 four-star generals right now whereas in WWII there were just seven.
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1grbsas/til_that_the_united_states_has_44_fourstar/
TIL: Opossums have 13 nipples, arranged in a circle of 12 with one in the middle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_opossum
#til #todayilearned
TIL of Savitri Devi, a french born greek-italian hindu and ardent nazi who tried to combine hinduism and nazism and proclaimed Hitler to be an avatar of Vishnu. She was also an animals rights activist who believed that people who don't respect animals and nature "should be executed"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savitri_Devi
#til #todayilearned
TIL Weed is not as harmless as people claim.
https://youtu.be/qBRaI0ZeAf8?si=_XhwO1t_zM_RvV-e
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gq84dt/til_weed_is_not_as_harmless_as_people_claim/
TIL the term "canary" in software deployment comes from coal miners who used actual canaries as early warning systems. Miners took these birds underground since they're extremely sensitive to toxic gases like carbon monoxide. If the canary fell ill or died, it was a signal for miners to evacuate.
https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2022/10/07/coming-terms-canary-deployme…
#til #todayilearned
TIL the term "essential" in "essential oils" has nothing to do with being in any way "essential" to the human body - such as essential amino acids or essential fatty acids, it just means it contains the essence of the plant's fragrance
#til #todayilearned
TIL that the Micronesian island of Yap uses giant boulders as a form of currency.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180502-the-tiny-island-with-human-sized-money
#til #todayilearned
TIL Cow tipping, the purported activity of sneaking up on any unsuspecting or sleeping upright cow and pushing it over for entertainment, is generally considered an urban legend. Estimates suggest that at least four people would be required to achieve this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_tipping
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1go019h/til_cow_tipping_the_purported_activity_of/
TIL that bananas emit antimatter.
https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/2009/07/23/antimatter-from-bananas?language_content_entity=und
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gne5pg/til_that_bananas_emit_antimatter/
Today I learned that Olympic gold medals are actually more than 90% silver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_medal
#til #todayilearned
TIL that there are over 40 million slaves living right now
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_21st_century
#til #todayilearned
